'The longest walk I've ever had was in New York': author Anna Pitoniak

The novelist’s 32-mile stroll around Manhattan, in a day, provided a vivid portrait of NYC – but it’s the Upper East Side’s low-key highlights that excite her most

I didn’t set out thinking New York would be a central character in The Futures, my debut novel, but it is such a romantic, overwhelming and daunting place that it came to the forefront. In a city this big, you have to find your own village, and for me it’s the Upper East Side – one of New York’s unsung neighbourhoods. Routine is important in carving out a home here: I go to the same coffee shop every morning. They know me by name, and to have someone recognise you in a city this sprawling is a great feeling.